Zach took a few gulps of coffee while standing at his table in the back of the cafe. He slapped his laptop shut and slid it into his backpack along with the revolver and zipped them up.

After the thing left, the young kid pulled a black duffel bag out from underneath the booth and set it on the table with a clatter. He opened the main compartment, poked around in it a bit and sighed before pulling out a small rectangular black metal case with a combination lock on the front. Zach opened the case, and started muddling around in it. "What the fuck was that, MARY?.." Zach's words echoed through the now empty and silent diner. "...And how long's it been since you started making deals with the God-DAMN UNDEAD?"

Zachs hands started shaking as he pulled some cash out of the box and stuffed it into his pants pocket. He locked up the case and shoved it back into his duffel bag. He leaned back and drew in a huge breath, trying to come down off the adrenaline.

(Speaking from across the room, Zach hasn't noticed the other characters reactions yet as he's too preoccupied with what he's doing.) "I'm sorry Mary, you don't deserve any of my bullshit... But you're too goddamn likeable to be in league with those fuckers" Zach pulled the duffel bag wide open and double-checked that his shotgun was locked and loaded without removing it from the bag, then zipped the whole thing closed violently. He turned around and took stock of the looks he was surely getting from the others in the room before looking at Mary. It took him a moment to notice her tears, and he knew immediately that he'd gone -way- too far. He ran over to her and looked her right in the eyes... "Jesus Christ, you just started seeing them..." Zach looked at the rest of the newly imbued and observed the looks on their faces. "All of you just started seeing... I'm so sorry... All of you. I guess I'm the asshole, then."

Zach slumped down in the booth opposite Mary and put his hands on the table. "An asshole with some explaining to do."

Mary shook her head. "No, no, I wish that was the first time I saw them. I've been seeing them for about a month now. That one... it... it's got my daughter."The tears started again. "They took her a couple of weeks ago, pretending to be from the HHS. I... I couldn't stop them!"Mary could do nothing but sob for a while, then she continued. "That thing wants me to kill another abomination for it." she nodded towards the envelope left on the table. "It says if I do, I'll get my Kathy back."

"I know that one very well," Alex said, speaking for the first time since whatever it was arrived. He remembered it all to well in fact. It had been the cause of the mysterious illness of his patients. The cause of his very state at this moment. "It's the reason I'm currently in the state I'm in."

He looked at the kid with the gun. "You don't want to mess with that one kid, its bad news. Trailed me for awhile back, a few weeks or so until it realized that I wasn't going to play its game. Pretty much wanted me to do the same thing it wants you to do Mary. But I have a code to uphold, and it won't let me kill anyone without a very good reason. Tried to kill me off then too, but I somehow managed to live. Though I didn't think I'd be seeing it again so soon." He turned to Mary. "It is not a thing to be trusted. It may be saying what it said simply to get you to do what it wants you to do. And while it pains me to say this, you're daughter may already be dead." He stood from his stool and made for the door. "We may cross paths again soon, let's just hope that it is while I still live."

Mary nodded. "I know. But I can't just give up hope. If there's even a chance that doing this might get her back, I am going to do it. If it turns out that thing was lying, I won't stop until it's dead."

Alex stopped at the door. "It seems that my nature is ruling me again," he said and turned back to face Mary. "That thing deserves to die. It is something that can no longer be allowed to roam and caused evil." He pulled a business card from his jacket and handed it to Mary. "Call me if you need any help." He handed similar business cards to the remainder of the people there. "Call anytime, chances are I won't be doing anything."

"Doctor? I'm sorry I missed your name. Sit for a minute, if you would, please. You know stuff about that thing I don't. Knowledge is power and all..." Zach looked quickly at the doctor and then at the rest of them. He picked up the envelope off the table and started looking at it.

"You don't want to mess with that one kid, its bad news...

"Yeah, well, unfortunately messing with those things is what I do now. Most kids my age are struggling with Algebra 1. Me, I kill monsters." Zach caught Mary's glance again and added "Especially monsters that fuck with kids. Believe me, I know exactly what sort of things they're capable of."

"I know. But I can't just give up hope. If there's even a chance that doing this might get her back, I am going to do it. If it turns out that thing was lying, I won't stop until it's dead."

"That thing is done for, either way, Mary. We will get Kathy back, or die trying." Zach took a deep breath... "HEY JOE! CAN YOU GET US A POT OF COFFEE OUT HERE PLEASE?! THANKS!".

Zach took the card from Alex. "Thanks Doc, have a seat... Please. Hopefully what you know will help me to stop that thing's existance"

Zach turned and looked at every one of them, locking eyes with each one in turn. "Alright guys, siddown please, if you would. It's names and phone numbers time". He grinned wryly. "Name's Zach... er, Truant, whichever you prefer".

((OOC Note: While I was writing, raryn posted again so I edited to show sequence of events... I hope it's not TOO confusing)))

"That thing is done for, either way, Mary. We will get Kathy back, or die trying."

Mary nodded. "That's the plan. But one ghoul's just as bad as another. If we kill the one it wants me to then I can get her back safely. I hope. Then we can go after that shite without having to worry about it using her as a bargaining chip."

"HEY JOE! CAN YOU GET US A POT OF COFFEE OUT HERE PLEASE?! THANKS!"

"Never mind, I got it!" Mary yelled. Speaking normally, she said "He doesn't know, and I'd rather it stays that way. I'll get the coffee, it is my job after all."

"Well, guys... I gotta point out one thing. If that thing wants us doing it's dirty work... It is nowhere near as scary as we're making it out to be now." Zach took a sip of the hot coffee. "Once we have everything laid out on the table here, we'll take the son of a bitch down... Be good for all of us."

Brandon followed the thing to the door, staying a few steps behind it. It either ignored him or didn't care. Brandon stopped at the threshold, watching it walk down the street. He was afraid to leave the diner until he knew more about what had happened between Mary and the creature, it was the only thing that kept him from following the creature to try to learn more about it. He watched as it walked right past other people with no one seeming to realize that they were next to something unnatural. He shivered slightly as he moved away from the door, leaving the "Sorry we're closed" sign displayed.

Brandon approached the group as they huddled around Zach opening the small envelope the thing had left for Mary. A single object clattered onto the table. "It looks like a safety deposit box key," Brandon said after a moment of silence passed.

He rubbed at his burning tired eyes and ran his hands through his shoulder length dark blonde hair, fighting the urge to yawn but failing. "Look, I'm sorry guys, but I've been awake over a day now," he glanced at the diner clock which showed it was just after 6:00 AM now. He smiled his lazy half smile, "My name's Brandon, Brandon Slater." He shook hands and offered everyone his cell number which he had written on torn scraps of napkin. "I really want to help but I've gotta get some shut eye first, give me a call in a few hours, like around noonish." He grabbed his last piece of bacon, washing it down with a coffee, as he headed out the door.

(((OOC This pretty much ends the first scene, everyone is imbued and can post in the hunter—net.org thread using their username. It sounded like everyone activated second sight to see the unnatural nature of monster so mark off 1 conviction. I run my RPs very open ended so feel free to explore the city or whatever at your own pace. There are many stories to be found in Brookvale. If you have any questions ask in thread, PM me or hit me up on MSN.)))

Zach picked up the key and put it back on the table. "I assume he told you what this goes to Mary?"

"I really want to help but I've gotta get some shut eye first, give me a call in a few hours, like around noonish."

"That's a good idea, I think, for most of us... Mary, Doc, I want to talk to you guys for a few minutes if you have anything left to give on the task at hand here... Other than that, I propose that we meet back here at 4:00 pm... What do you say?"

"Yea, four o'clock sounds good," Brandon pushed his way out of the diner and looked up and down the street, not expecting to see to see the creature again but hoping. With a sigh he started his bike and drove home, where he was asleep seconds after flopping onto his couch.

Carl shook his head in disgust at the exchange. If only they could see the things he saw. He walked out of the diner without another word and started to head to his apartment. He had made note of the time. Four in the afternoon. He would be there at five. Carl needed time to see what else he could see. And for that, he needed to track down his coke dealer.

Carl veered away from the path to his apartment and started to head into the gritty part of Brookvale.

(((OOC We can either continue in-character discussion, or we can hold off until Outlaw gets back... Let's discuss it in the sign up thread so we don't clutter this one up with OOC chatter. I'll edit or delete this post once we've figured out what we're doing)))

True to his word Brandon woke up shortly after noon. He expected to feel hung over, or like he was coming down off a bad acid trip given what he seemed to remember having happened that morning. But no, he still had someone’s business card in his jacket pocket as well as a note written to himself on a torn diner napkin, “Meet everyone back at the diner at 4 PM.”

Unsure what to do in the meantime he began surfing the internet. He wanted to call Julie, maybe take her out to lunch or something but until he could concentrate on something other than that smiling freak he wouldn’t feel right. He drank an energy drink and lit up a cigarette as he waited for time to pass.

(((OOC There’s no rush to advance the story to 4:00 if you guys would like to do some solo RP with your characters to bridge the gap. You can do that either in thread, by PM or catch me on MSN. I already know what Firesolved is up to. When everyone is ready to regroup at the diner let me know and I’ll move the story forward to that point.)))